Charisma 100: My Academy Life As A Heartbreaking Commoner Chapter 3: How To Acquire Legendary Loot for Dummies

The stagecoach jostled along the cobblestone path. A translucent window materialized before her eyes.

[System Notification: Lover's Blessing Activated]

New Equipment: Divine Rod of Conquest

[Amazing. They've actually named it a Divine Rod.]

Aegis scoffed. Even in her most ambitious gameplay sessions, she had never encountered such a specific feature. The notification continued to unfurl.

Bondmark System:

"Holy cow," Aegis murmured, then subtly scanned the empty carriage. Right. NPCs were incapable of perceiving the system interfaces. To them, she'd appear as if conversing with thin air, like a madwoman.

[Permanent marks? That's... surprisingly alluring.]

The carriage lurched to an abrupt halt.

"Rosevale City! All students bound for the academy, disembark here!"

Clutching her scholarship letter, Aegis descended. Gothic spires pierced the rapidly darkening sky. A throng of students clad in opulent uniforms surged along the main thoroughfare toward the academy's imposing gates.

[Forget that. Time for a detour.]

She veered left, heading into the ancient quarter. In the actual game, most players would typically proceed directly to the academy. However, Aegis adhered to the cardinal rule of any game: never bypass the hidden treasures of the tutorial zone.

The pawn shop was squeezed tightly between a clairvoyant's booth and a stall peddling "guaranteed non-cursed" crystals. Perfect. Aegis inhaled deeply and pushed open the door. The chime above shrieked like a wounded animal.

"We're closed," a gruff voice echoed from behind formidable stacks of miscellaneous goods.

"That's unfortunate," Aegis replied, trailing a finger along a grimy display case. "Because I'm here to make you incredibly wealthy."

The proprietor emerged. Sixty years of regrettable choices were etched onto his embittered countenance. His gaze swept over her academy attire, her empty hands, her evident destitution, and his eyebrow arched so high it seemed to defy gravity.

"Academy whelps." He expectorated into a nearby bucket. "Always attempting to 'make me rich' with their parents' fortunes. Except you haven't even got parental funds, have you, scholarship student?"

[Charisma 100, huh? Let's give this a try.]

"Bartholomew Finch." Aegis ambled through the shop, examining various objects, striving for an air of nonchalance and disinterest. He winced. "Forty years running this establishment. Your wife departed for a wandering musician. Your son refuses to speak with you. You're drowning in debt to the Crimson Serpent syndicate, who'll shatter your kneecaps come next week. A rather dire predicament, wouldn't you agree?"

His face cycled through a spectrum of purplish hues.

"H-HOW—"

"I possess knowledge." She indicated a dulled locket tucked away in a corner. "For instance, that 'worthless' pendant you've been attempting to offload for three years is imbued with enchantment. Its value could purchase your entire shop ten times over."

"Nonsense."

"Really? May I try it on? Just briefly." Aegis pressed her palms together. "If I am mistaken, I shall depart. If I am correct, we shall negotiate."

Bartholomew's laughter resembled gravel churning in a grinder.

"Do you take me for a fool? Let some attractive lass 'inspect' my wares only to abscond with them?"

"Where would I possibly flee to?" Aegis gestured to herself. "Academy uniform, broad daylight. You'd know precisely where to apprehend me should I attempt any foolishness. Besides..." Her voice dropped to a lower register. "Your situation is already dire. The Crimson Serpents are not known for their flexible payment terms." Another wince. "But that locket? It's worth more than your entire establishment. Provided you understand how to activate its potential."

His fingers tapped a rhythmic beat on the counter. Behind his bloodshot eyes, Aegis could practically visualize him crunching numbers, calculating every last conceivable coin he might extract from this item if her assertion proved true.

"One minute. I shall hold onto your scholarship letter."

She raised an eyebrow.

"What if you abscond with it?"

A smirk stretched his lips, revealing stained teeth.

"You'd know my location, wouldn't you?"

[Fair point.]

"Agreed," she said, handing over the envelope.

He tossed her the locket. It grew warm against her skin almost instantly. Inscriptions materialized within her field of vision:

COMMONER'S LOCKET EQUIPPED

[Meaning: essentially a cloaking device against the disdainful gazes of arrogant nobles.] Aegis smirked. [Now, to finalize this charade.]

"Do you perceive that subtle radiance?" She held it aloft. "The metal is responding to my innate magical signature. Genuine enchantments exhibit such reactions. Imitations do not."

"Demonstrate it. Employ your magic."

[I would, if I possessed the ability, but alas, I do not know how.]

Opting not to voice this limitation, Aegis maintained her smile.

"Lord Bartholomew Finch. A far more distinguished title than 'Bart the Pawnbroker,' wouldn't you agree?"

His posture improved noticeably. For a fleeting instant, he appeared less like a disillusioned failure and more like someone who had once harbored ambitions.

[Hook, line, and sinker.] Aegis suppressed a grin. [Overwhelm him with the very hopes and aspirations he risks losing, and perhaps that will distract him from the demonstration he just requested.]

"This locket enhances the wearer's persuasive abilities, especially towards those of noble blood, or those who believe they are." Utter fabrication, yet his eyes already shone with avarice. "Tell you what. Since you possess this pretty trinket gathering dust, unaware of its enchantment, I'll offer a more favorable exchange. I shall keep the locket. In return, I'll disclose the locations of three additional artifacts hidden within this district."

"You're a ly-"

Before Bartholomew could finish his accusation, Aegis began to enumerate:

"The Merchant's Ring, located in the old Goldleaf vault. The Courage Pendant, situated in the Warrior's Memorial fountain. And the Wisdom Circlet, hidden within a secret room in the abandoned library." She swiftly procured a quill, beginning to document the details. "All these items, much like this locket, have been left neglected. It would be remarkably simple for any unfortunate merchant to stumble upon and claim them. Almost too simple."

"H-How can you possibly know this...?"

"Please," Aegis sighed, rolling her eyes. "I ascertained your entire life story without ever meeting you. Is it not conceivable, perhaps, that I might actually know what I am talking about?" A disarming smile graced her lips. "Sell those three artifacts, settle your debts with the Serpents, and retire to a peaceful location. Alternatively, dismiss my words and face them rearranging your skeleton next week. The choice is yours."

Bartholomew stood frozen, staring. A tense silence stretched for a few seconds, both individuals locked in a stalemate, awaiting the other to make a move.

Then, he impulsively grabbed his own notebook and started meticulously copying every word she had uttered.

"You may leave now."

"It was a pleasure conducting business with you."

Aegis retrieved her envelope from the counter and sauntered out, the locket feeling warm against her chest. One objective accomplished.

On the corner of Merchant and Third, a street performer was captivating a small crowd by juggling flaming rats—actual rats, ablaze. Coins rained down from onlookers, perhaps in a bid to make him cease the spectacle.

"A riddle!" he bellowed. "Answer correctly, and a prize you shall win!"

Aegis navigated her way through the gathering spectators. Within the game's mechanics, this particular Non-Player Character (NPC) would randomly present one of five riddles. Answering all five in succession would unlock a particularly valuable reward.

"I will participate."

"Excellent!" The performer deftly caught the flaming rats, making them vanish up his sleeves without scorching his attire. "First riddle: What possesses roots unseen, stands taller than trees, ascends ever upward, yet never grows?"

"A mountain."

A flicker crossed the performer's painted face.

"Correct. Second riddle: Voiceless, it cries; wingless, it flutters; toothless, it bites; mouthless, it mutters."

"The wind."

"Third—"

"A river. The fourth is fire. The fifth is stars." Aegis extended her hand expectantly. "Apologies for disrupting your performance, but I am quite familiar with these riddles. I have encountered them numerous times. Pray, the prize?"

A low murmur rippled through the crowd. The street performer's grin widened, stretching his makeup to the point of cracking.

"A clever one, you are." He pressed a brass earring into her palm.

To everyone else, it appeared as mere trinkets. However, the instant it touched her ear, the world erupted in a cacophony of sounds.

MAID'S EARRING EQUIPPED

"—told you she was a scholarship—"

"—never seen someone shut down Jesper like—"

"—that ass should be illegal—"

Aegis winced at the overwhelming auditory onslaught. Two items acquired.

Now, it was time for the main event.

---

The ancient quarter exuded the pungent aroma of urine and decaying refuse. These structures predated the current kingdom by centuries, and even within the context of a medieval fantasy setting, they defied all conceivable safety regulations.

Aegis meticulously counted the doorways: seven, eight, nine. She then slipped into the narrow passage between buildings ten and eleven.

Darkness enveloped her. The alleyway constricted until her shoulders brushed against both walls, eventually opening into a secluded courtyard. Sparse, withered bushes marked a path leading to a door constructed from pure shadow.

[There you are.]

The door was fashioned from black wood that seemed to absorb all light. It possessed no handle, no keyhole—only an oppressive darkness and faint whispers emanating from its surface.

DISCOVERY: The Whispering DoorWARNING: This encounter may result in permanent character deathProceed? Y/N

"Yes, you overly dramatic entity," Aegis muttered under her breath. She placed her palm flat against the wood.

The world inverted. Up became down, inside transformed into outside, and Aegis found herself standing within an empty expanse that caused her eyeballs to throb with discomfort.

A voice spoke, then another. Two distinct voices, one deep and the other high-pitched, intertwined:

"FIVE QUESTIONS FOR THE SEEKER. FIVE TRUTHS FOR THE WORTHY. SPEAK FALSE AND JOIN THE WHISPERS. SPEAK TRUE AND CLAIM YOUR REWARD."

[No pressure, right?]

"FIRST QUESTION: WHAT IS THE OLDEST LIE?"

A wave of relief washed over her. The questions had remained unchanged from the game.

You see, this trial was typically overcome through sheer trial and error. Players would attempt it, falter with incorrect answers, perish, respawn, and try again in subsequent playthroughs—one question, one death at a time. Some answers necessitated knowledge acquired much later in the game, rendering it virtually impossible to complete without multiple attempts.

[But I have completed hundreds of playthroughs. I know every single answer.]

"That power stems from strength," she declared. "True power emerges from comprehending the desires of others."

This statement was directly lifted from the main antagonist's pivotal monologue in Act Three.

Silence fell. Then:

"SECOND QUESTION: WHERE DO THE LOST STARS FALL?"

"Into the spaces between heartbeats."

It had taken the community six whole months to solve that one. This question was a reference to creation myth lore, hidden away in a single collectible book that most players never even found.

"THIRD QUESTION: WHAT DOES THE EMPRESS DREAM?"

This particular question had constantly stumped and defeated players.

Everyone involved assumed it referred to the Shadow Empress, the game's final boss. They had tried every strategy imaginable—world domination, resurrection rituals, unleashing monster armies. All of it was incorrect.

The reason was that it actually meant the Empress. She was Valdria's founder, the one who had begged history to erase her name after her choices led to her downfall and broke her spirit.

It was another obscure reference, this time from a skippable side quest.

"She dreams of being forgotten."

The void rippled, showing its approval.

"FOURTH QUESTION: NAME THE THIRTEENTH DAGGER."

"Mercy."

The game's combat system had provided twelve distinct ways to execute a particular villain. The hidden thirteenth option? Choosing not to kill her. It meant showing mercy. She would ultimately take her own life later. Aegis had discovered this during a pacifist playthrough.

"FINAL QUESTION: WHO SPEAKS IN SILVER?"

The very last question. The one that had caused her to fling her tablet across the room when she had finally managed to solve it. This was because the answer wasn't about lore, game mechanics, or simple observation.

It was meta.

[Damn cheap-ass developers...]

"Speaking in Silver" was an achievement awarded for completing the entire game without selecting a single "bad" dialogue choice.

Therefore, the answer could only be...

"Me."

The void shattered instantly.

Aegis gasped, finding herself back in the courtyard, clutching—

LEGENDARY ITEM ACQUIRED: The Lover's Ring

The ring pulsed with immense power. It appeared as a simple silver band adorned with a heart-shaped ruby, yet this was endgame loot of the highest caliber. It was indeed one of the most valuable items in the entire game.

And now, it rested in Aegis's hands.

[Done. Now, time to head into the Academy!]